Dusting machine



J. A. CHATER DUSTING MACHINE May 12, 1953 4 Sheegs-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 2, 1945 llll l U/IIP J. A. cHArER DUSTING MACHINE May 12, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 2, 1945 awe/MM J. A. CHATER DUSTING MACHINE May 12, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 2, 1945 110-1111 A.Eh5tE1" J. A. CHATER DUSTING MACHINE May 12, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 00*. 2, 1945 gvwc/wbom LIEIhTL ALhaLE'r m WSZWQM Gator/M Patented May 12, 1953 DUSTING MACHINE John A. Chater, Medina, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a. corporation of Delaware Application October 2, 1945, Serial No. 619,908

1 This invention relates to machines for applying dust to crops, and more particularly pertains to an improved dust feed for such machines. A cluster of the general type with which my improved dust feed is adapted to be used is de scribed in my Patent No. 2,206,876, dated July 9, 1940.

One object of the present invention is to provide improved dust feed means for a duster which embodies a construction permitting of the use of a small high speed engine and a V-belt drive in order that proper power with simplicity of construction may be obtained.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved dust feed means for a cluster which combines feed of dust at a constant rate with equal distribution of the dust to the distributing outlet or outlets.

Still another object of the invention is to pro- .vide dust feeding means for a duster adapted to :-vide a duster feed mechanism which embodies and permits of the effective use of a V-belt type of dust elevator, so that the employment of complex and costly driving and elevating means may be dispensed with and simplicity of construction secured.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear in the course of the subjoined description, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the invention to an orchard duster on a wagon or like vehicle carrying an internal combustion engine;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper portion of the hopper showing in section parts of the feed mechanism mounted on the front wall 7 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, of the main hopper and other parts of the duster carried thereby re- I moved from the vehicle;

8 Claims. (01. 43148) Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the cluster hopper and feed mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line B--B of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a similar section taken on line 'l-'! of Fig. 5; I

Fig. 8 is a side view of the feed belt drive puly;

Fig. 9 is a to plan view thereof;

Fig. 10 is an axial section trhough the same;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the duster mounted as a multiple outlet duster on a tractor trailer or like type of vehicle; and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged plan view of the duster shown in Fig. 11 with the main dust hopper cover removed;

Referring now mor particularly to the invention as disclosed in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, I

designates a wagon type of trailer or other suitable type of wheeled vehicle on which is mounted an internal combustion engine 2 and my improved duster, generally indicated at 3.

The cluster 3 comprises a main hopper 4 having base supports 5 by which it is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the bed or frame of the vehicle I.

A drive shaft tcarries a clutch "l for direct connectionto the engine normally operating at 1600 R. P. M. The main hopper 4 has one vertical side wall 8 and one steeply sloping side Wall 3 to insure that the dust will not bridge and fail to fall to the bottom of the hopper. This eliminates the necessity for a large agitator. Only a small high speed agitator I2 is needed. This agitator is mounted on a shaft l3 journaled in bearings It on the outside of the front and rear end walls Ill and H of the hopper. The hopper bottom I5 which extends longitudinally of the hopper parallel with and adjacent to the Wall 8 is gutter-shaped or curved on an arc of small radius between the lower edges of the walls 8 and 9. The shaft 23 is disposed near the center of this radius. The radius of the agitator is a little less than that of the hopper bottom. The agitator l2 consists of the shaft l3 and two slender rods 16 carried thereby to reduce resistance of rotation in the dust. Usual dust and grease seals not shown are used to minimize dust leakage outward and grease leakage inward between the bearings l4 and the shaft l3. Brackets l9 carrying the bearings M are spaced from the walls and hearings to allow any leakage of dust to fall freely downward. Propellers 28 are placed on the shaft inside the hopper and at each end to drive dust away from the bearings l4 3 and. reduce tendency to leakage by reduction of pressure. Pulleys 2i and 22 and -belt 23 drive shaft it from shaft 6.

The V-grooved pulley 24 is mounted on the shaft 13 and revolves with The construction of this pulley is important since it contributes largely to the functioning of the device for elevating dust and is one of the principal features of this invention.

The pulley 24 is made as shown in Figs. 8 to of the drawing. The pulley consists of a hub 25 with spokes 25a which leave the center of the pulley open except for the spot-Es. The rim of this pulley is only about as deep as the thickness of the V-belt which runs on it. When the V is machined in the rim the bottom of the groove is cut entirely through, producing a rim formed of spaced rings 26 held together only by the spokes and thus the V groove has no bottom wall. This is for the purpose of allowing the dust in the hopper to be displaced from the groove more readily. To still further allow displacement of the dust the spokes are set at an angle to the plane of the pulley like the blades of a propeller fan to force dust outward endwise from the center the belt. This allows the belt to be operated over Q this pulley in the hopper full of dust even at high speed.

A small shaft 29 is carried at the topv of the hopper by bearings 30 in suitable brackets 3|. A epulley 32, is mounted on shaft 25' and is driven by the V-belt 2? from the lower pulley 24. A small V-shaped auxiliary hopper 33 is positioned at the top of the hopper at the angle of intersection of walls 9 and if]. The shaft 29 extends through this hopper and the pulley 32 runs, as closely as feasible to the cover 34 of the hopper. This is done so that dust elevated by the V-belt will stijllge the cover 34 and fall back as much as possible into the open top of the V-shaped auxilia y o p The v-belt is provided with small lifting blades or flights 35. These flights are as wide as thebelt and project oneefourth inch or less from the outer face of the V-belt. They preferably consist of small pieces of stainless steel riveted to the belt F Thus the use of a few very small flights will move cause a greater portion of the dust to fall into the auxiliary hopper. When the auxiliary hopper fan drive shaft 56a (Fig 12).

is full excess dust is thrown out by the belt flights and falls back into the main hopper.

A propeller 3c is mounted on shaft 29' and revolves in the auxiliary hopper 33. A round feed hole or outlet of about the same radius as the radius of the bottom of the auxiliary hopper is formed in the wall it) and both are concentric with the center line of shaft 29. A cylindrical feed cup 4| is placed on the outside of the hopper wall [8. The diameter of the feed cup is preferably a little larger than the diameter of the feed hole 49 in the hopper wall and its axis is also concentric with the center line of shaft 29'. A paddle or feed wiper 42 is mounted on shaft 29 and revolves in the cylindrical feed cup 4 l. A thin metal band or valve member 13 is adapted to be drawn against the lower cylindrical side of the feed cup by being attached to a rigid band 44 which fits against the upper side of the feed cup. Levers and linkage 45 are connected to the band :34. Operating the handle 48 moves the rigid band 4 and flexible band 43 around the cylindrical cup to bring a feed hole 4'1 in the band 43 into varying degrees of alignment with a feed hole as in the lower cylindrical side of the feed cup s1, 7 thus controlling the rate of feed. The propeller 39 drives dust from the auxiliary hopper into feed cup ll through hole 48. The feed cup is, therefore, always kept full and dust in the feed cup is maintained in substantially the same degree of fluffiness no matter how much dust is in the main hopper, except that the main hopper must not be filled above the level of the auxiliary hopper.

Dust issuing from feed hole 43 in cup 4! falls into the vertical tube 45 and into the cylindrical inlet tube 50 from which it is drawn by suction into the cylindrical tube 5; which is built into the center of the fan runner 52 and revolves with the fan runner. Dust in tube 5| is agitated by finger 52' attached to the tube 5:: and which is stationary. A single radial duct 53 opens into one side of tube 5| so that as dust passes through tube 5;! and duct '53 into the fan casing 54 it is discharged radially in a revolving stream into the outlet 55 at the periphery of the fan case, from which it passes to the discharge hose or conductor 56.

In practice the auxiliary hopper, feed cup, brackets, shaft and upper belt pulley are built as one assembly adjustable to regulate the belt tension.

The fan runner 52 is mounted on a shaft 56 driven by suitable gearing mounted in a conven-- tional gear case 5''! from the shaft 5.

The cluster shown in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, is shown as a single outlet orchard duster. In Figs. 11 and 12 I have shown a preferred arrangement of the invention as employed as a multiple outlet crop duster, in which la represents a cart, trailer or other wheeled vehicle on the frame of which a driving engine 2a and the duster are mounted, the engine being connected by a usual V-belt, not shown, to a The fan casing in this instance is provided with a plurality of dust outlets 55a with which are connected the outlet conductors 56a supported by the rack 5'! and carrying the distributing nozzles 58. The main dust hopper and dust feed mechanism shown in Figs. 11 and 12 are similar to I those shown in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings the construction and mode of operation of my improved duster will be readily understood and the advantages thereof appreciated by those versed in the art without a further and extended description. It will be understood, of course, that while the constructions shown herein are preferred, changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts, such as fall within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a dusting machine having a main hopper for containing dust, said main hopper having a discharge outlet near its top; the improvement which comprises a V-grooved pulley mounted for rotation adjacent the bottom of the hopper, a second V-grooved pulley mounted for rotation near the top of the hopper, a V- velt running in the grooves of the pulleys, means connected to a source of power to rotate one of the pulleys, flights on the V-belt, an auxiliary hopper positioned at the top of the main hopper to receive dust elevated by the flights, a shaft supporting the upper V-pulley and extending through the auxiliary hopper and through said outlet, a feed box through which the shaft also extends positioned outside the hopper, means revolving with said shaft for propelling dust from the auxiliary hopper into the feed box, and means revolving with said shaft for discharging dust from the feed box.

2. In a dusting machine, a main hopper for dust, an auxiliary hopper positioned within and at the top of the main hopper adjacent one of the vertical walls thereof, means for elevating dust from the bottom of the main hopper to the auxiliary hopper, a feed box mounted adjacent to and outside the main hopper in a vertical plane parallel with the vertical plane of the auxiliary hopper and communicating with the auxiliary hopper, through a lateral opening formed in said main hopper wall, means in the auxiliary hopper to progress dust through said lateral opening into the feed box, an outlet in the feed box to discharge dust therefrom, and means to control the size of the outlet.

3. In a dusting machine, a main hopper for dust, an auxiliary hopper positioned within and at the top of the main hopper adjacent one of the vertical walls thereof, means for elevating dust from the bottom of the main hopper to the auxiliary hopper, a cylindrical feed box mounted adjacent to and outside the main hopper in a vertical plane parallel with the vertical plane of the auxiliary hopper and communicating with the auxiliary hopper through a lateral opening formed in said hopper wall, means in the auxiliary hopper to progress dust through said lateral opening into the feed box, an outlet in the feed box to discharge dust therefrom, and means to control the size of the outlet.

4. In a dusting machine, a main hopper for dust, an auxiliary hopper positioned within and at the top of the main hopper adjacent one of the vertical walls thereof, means for elevating dust from the bottom of the main hopper to the auxiliary hopper, a feed box mounted adjacent to and outside the main hopper in a vertical plane parallel with the vertical plane of the auxiliary hopper and communicating with the auxiliary hopper through a lateral opening formed in said hopper wall, means in the auxiliary hopper to progress dust through said lateral opening into the feed box,

'an' outlet in the feed box to discharge there from, and means to control the size of the outlet, said means comprising a flexible metal strap disposed externally of the feed box and having an opening for varying alignment with the outlet in the feed box.

5. In a dusting machine having a main hopper for containing dust, said main hopper having an outlet near its top and having a rotary shaft near its bottom, the improvement which comprises a pulley mounted for rotation with said shaft, said pulley comprising a hub, a plurality of blade-like spokes carried by said hub and disposed at an angle to the plane of pulley rotation to propel dust away from the pulley parallel with its axis, spaced rim portions carried by said spokes and defining a belt supporting groove open at its bottom to the interior of the main hopper, a second grooved pulley mounted for rotation near the top of the hopper, a V-belt running in the grooves of the pulleys, a plow supported in the main hopper and extending between the spaced rims of the first named pulley immediately ahead of its zone of initial contact with the descending stretch of the belt to clear dust from between said rims at said point of initial contact, power means mounted to drive the shaft, pulleys and belt, flights on said belt, a housing enclosing the upwardly running stretch of the belt, an auxiliary hopper mounted at the top of the main hopper adjacent said outlet to receive dust elevated by the flights, and means mounted in said auxiliary hopper to rotate with said second pulley for agitating the dust in said auxiliary A hopper for passage through said outlet.

6. In a dusting machine of the type having a main hopper for containing dust, said hopper having a dust outlet near its top with a passage from said outlet into the air blast of an air blast creating fan; the improvement which comprises an auxiliary hopper mounted interiorly of said main hopper with its bottom adjacent said dust outlet, a feed box formed exteriorly of said outlet and adapted to discharge dust emerging from said outlet into said passage, dust agitating means having elements thereof in said auxiliary hopper and in said feed box to agitate dust in both thereof, and dust elevating means mounted to elevate dust from the main hopper and to discharge said dust into the air interiorly of the main hopper above the auxiliary hopper for gravitation into the auxiliary hopper.

7. In a dusting machine of the type having a main hopper for containing dust, said hopper having a dust outlet near its top with a passage from said outlet into the air blast of an air blast creating fan; the improvement which comprises an auxiliary hopper mounted interiorly of said main hopper with its bottom adjacent said dust outlet, a feed box formed exteriorly of said outlet and adapted to discharge dust emerging from said outlet into said passage, dust agitating means having elements thereof in said auxiliary hopper and in said chamber to agitate dust therein, dust elevating means mounted to elevate dust from the main hopper and to discharge said dust into the air interiorly of the main hopper, and baffle means mounted to deflect a portion of said dust into the auxiliary hopper.

8. In a dusting machine having a main hopper for dust, said hopper having a lateral discharge opening therein near its top; the improvement which comprises an auxiliary hopper positioned within the main hopper and opening into said lateral opening, means for elevating dust from the bottom of the main hopper to the auxiliary hopper, a feed box mounted outside said main hopper and opening into said auxiliary hopper through said lateral opening, said feed box having an outlet to discharge dust therefrom, means to control the size of said feed box outlet, and means in the auxiliary hopper to progress dust therein through said lateral opening into the feed box.

JOHN A. CHATER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 222,137 Imhorst Dec. 2, 1879 590,742 Neames Sept. 28, 1897 1,316,514 Sieverkropp Sept. 16, 1919 Number 8 Name Date Fischer Dec. 20, 1921 Lemons Dec. 4, 1923 Henning Sept. 1, 1925 Dunnagan Apr. 12, 1927 Root May 24, 1927 Greene Oct. 23, 1928 Stehling Feb. 25, 1930 Ezdorf et a1 Dec. 23, 1930 Souter Sept. 25, 1934 Mackintosh Sept. 17, 1935 Kahn Feb. 18, 1936 Chater July 9, 1940 Gay Nov. 12, 1940 Anderson Jan. 7, 1941 Hyman et a1 Mar. 17, 1942 Sinden May 12, 1942 Heaslet Sept. 15, 1942 Saxe Apr. 25, 1944 

